"Erm, yes," he coughed, redfaced. He hastily looked away from the groping hands and wished he could cast a Muffliato to silence the loud groaning and moaning.
"I had a very nice time," Brunhilde continued. And suddenly her hand was on the back of his neck and her lips were coming up to meet his own andтАж Snape's world disappeared in a blaze of lights and sensation.
When he came back to himself, it was to find Sirius' arm around his shoulder, propelling his stumbling feet down the boulevard. "Urgle. Glip," he gasped to Black.
"Yeah, they're some kissers, those Zeeman girls," Sirius agreed happily, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. "So you liked her, right?"
"Smlpff. Grxnl." Snape's eyes were still slightly crossed.
Black grinned. "Happy Christmas, Snape."
TBCтАж
*Chapter 43*: Chapter 43
Harry threw himself down on his bed with a happy sigh. As much fun as he'd had with Ron and the Weasleys, not to mention Padfoot and Moony, he was still very happy to be back at Hogwarts, in his own bedroom, with his da puttering away in his potions lab. He could tell that his da was very happy to be home too, though he was pretty sure he'd had a good time in Switzerland with Brunhilde. His da had gone out with her several more times after Sirius had first introduced them, and Harry had even tagged along once or twice. He liked Brunhilde тАУ she didn't treat him like a kid; she took his questions seriously, and she also didn't seem interested in keeping his da all to herself. And he could tell that his da liked talking with her тАУ and looking at her, though Harry had learned better than to point that out!
Still, Brunhilde had made it clear that she was very busy with her work in Basel, and she had a 9 year old godson there, Jonah, whom she obviously adored. She had suggested that maybe Harry and his da might like to visit her and Jonah sometime, and Harry was looking forward to it тАУ that was perhaps the one thing he had missed while visiting Padfoot and Moony: having other kids to play with. Unfortunately, Jonah and his family were off visiting the dragons in Romania over the holidays, or Brunhilde promised he would have floo'd over. Still, it was nice to think that Harry might have a built-in playmate next time he visited his godfatherтАж Not that Sirius didn't qualify as an oversized playmate himself!
While Harry knew his da liked Brunhilde, Harry didn't think Snape really minded that she was so obviously busy with her own life and not interested тАУ at least right now тАУ in spending lots of time together. He knew Snape had a lot to do too, what with his teaching and his House and thinking up ways to defeat Voldesnort. Harry relaxed on his bed, staring up at the canopy and wondering if the new term would be as exciting as the last.
"Oooooooh, Master Harry Potter Sir!" A pop by his right ear made him start, and he jerked up to see an unfamiliar house elf standing by his bed and wringing his hands.
Harry looked at the elf curiously. He didn't think he'd met this one before, and it looked distinctly different from the average Hogwarts house elf. To start with, it was dressed in a ragged towel, and it was scrawny to the point of emaciation. "Er, hello?" he offered uncertainly.
"Master Harry Potter Sir said hello!" it squeaked in rapture, then instantly banged its head on the ground, badly startling Harry.
"Oi! Don't do that!" Harry yelped, hopping out of bed and trying to restrain it. "Don't hurt yourself!"
"Oh, Master Harry Potter Sir is a good master. Master Harry Potter Sir is kind and good, even to wicked, wicked house elves like Dobby."
"Dobby? Is that your name?" Harry asked, hopelessly lost.
"Master Harry Potter Sir wants to know Dobby's name!" The house elf's eyes were shiny with tears. "Good Master Harry Potter Sir!"
"Erm, thanks, I guess. UmтАж can I help you?" Harry began to wish his guardian would appear in the doorway.
"No, no, Master Harry Potter Sir! It is Dobby who is here to help you. Master Harry Potter Sir must be leaving Hogwarts right away! Yes, Master Harry Potter Sir must not be staying here."
"What? But I live here!" Harry protested.
"No no no! It is too dangerous! Bad things will happen soon and тАУ No no no! Bad Dobby! Bad Dobby!" The elf yanked at its own ears in a frenzy of self-loathing. "Mustn't tell! Mustn't tell secrets!"
"Dobby! Wait! Quit it! Stop!" Harry grabbed the frantic little thing. "Stop it! What danger? You mean for me?"
"Master Harry Potter Sir must leave Hogwarts! Master Harry Potter Sir must promise Dobby he will go away!"
Go away from Hogwarts? Like back to the Dursleys? Harry set his jaw. "I won't," he declared firmly. "I live here now, an' I'm not leaving."
Dobby gave him an anguished look. "But if Master Harry Potter Sir will not leave on his own, then Dobby will have to make him leave. No! No! Bad Dobby! Bad Dobby to threaten good, kind Master Harry Potter Sir!" And again the odd elf began to bang his head against the stone floor.
Now thoroughly unnerved, Harry ran for the door. He wasn't sure if the elf meant him harm or was just completely doolally, but either way, he was pretty sure that his Da would have his hide if he didn't seek help. To his relief, the elf was too busy punishing himself to try and prevent his escape.
"Da!" Harry dashed into the Potions lab, startling Snape and causing him to drop a vial of frog toes.
"Harry James Potter! What have I told you about running around like a bansh-" Snape's angry scolding abruptly halted as Harry darted around him as if for protection. Instantly his wand was in his hand and pointed at the door while his other held Harry close to his side.
"What is it?" he demanded tightly, when no obvious threat burst into the room in pursuit of the child.
"A house elf!" Harry exclaimed.
Snape fought not to bring his wand down across the brat's backside. A house elf! The little monster ran in here as if the hounds of hell were after him, scaring him half to death, wasting valuable potions ingredients, all because one of the bloody house elves was being a bit too doting in its attention? "You тАУ" he started off furiously.
"No, no!" Harry shook his head, realizing the conclusion Snape had reached. "It's not a normal house elf. This one was crazy! It kept banging its head on the ground like it hated talking to me and it wanted to send me back to the Dursleys and it threatened me!"
Snape blinked. A house elf threatening a wizarding child? That was practically unheard of. Spoiling the little beggars, yes. Threatening them? Hardly. "Are you sure it was a house elf?" he asked, once again raising his wand defensively.
"It looked like one an' it sounded like one," Harry said doubtfully, and despite his concern, Snape was pleased by this very Slytherin answer. Very good, my little snake, he thought. You are beginning to look behind the outward appearance that fools all the Gryffindors.
Snape led the way back to Harry's bedroom, where nothing indicated that a house elf had ever been there. Snape cast several spells, but he was unable to find anything except evidence that a house elf had been in the room at some point тАУ but since the school elves tidied his quarters, that was to be expected. He sat Harry down on the bed and turned a stern eye on the boy. "Was there really a strange house elf here?" he asked, frowning. "It wasn't a dream, or maybe an imaginary elf from a game that you were playing?"
Harry gave him an outraged glare. "I'm not a baby!" he retorted indignantly. "I didn't make this up for attention!"